Recent Papers

Volume 16 - 2025 Issue 1

37. The emerging role of Fungi in sustainable farming and global food security
Manawasinghe IS et al. (2025)

36. Taxonomy and diversity of woody litter microfungi associated with six phylogenetically related host species in Doi Tung national park, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Afshari N et al. (2025)

35. High yeast diversity in primeval forest of Shennongjia, including 21 new species characterized by morphological, phylogenetic, and genomic analyses
Qiu YJ et al. (2025)

34. Updating taxonomy of Conidiobolus sensu lato: Proposal of a new family, a new genus, 23 new species and two new combinations
Nie Y et al. (2025)

33. Taxonomy and biological properties of Ascomycota on Bidens pilosa and Chromolaena odorata in Northern Thailand with a global checklist
Htet ZH et al. (2025)

32. Families of non-Dikarya fungi
Wijayawardene NN (2025)

31. Diversity and taxonomy of hyphomycetous Fungi in Southwestern China
Liu LL et al. (2025)

30. Species diversity, taxonomy, distribution and multi-gene phylogeny of chanterelles in China
Zhang M et al. (2025)

29. Biodiversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi from the Nanpan River Basin in Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, China, with descriptions of fifteen species
Bao DF et al. (2025)

28. Evolution and horizontal transfer of the psilocybin biosynthetic gene cluster drive the diversification of magic mushrooms
Fei Liu et al. (2025)

Volume 16 - 2025 - Issue 1

---

1. New taxa of Xylariales from Karst Ecosystems in Southwestern China

Authors: Liu LL, Ren YL, Habib K, Lu CT, Wu YP, Long SH, Lin Y, Zhang X, Kang YQ, Wijayawardene NN, Wang F, Elgorban AM, Al-Rejaie S, Samarakoon MC, Shen XC, Li QR

Recieved: 12 September 2024, Accepted: 09 January 2025, Published: 31 January 2025

The order Xylariales consists of fungi that are widely distributed and commonly found on decaying wood, fallen branches, and trunks. Despite the taxonomic and morphological challenges in accurately identifying species within this group, interest in Xylariales has increased in recent years, largely due to their ecological significance and and species diversity. Over the course of this study, dead branches of several plant hosts with fungal fruiting bodies were collected from Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi China. The collected specimens were described morphologically, and a multigene phylogeny was constructed based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 28S large subunit rDNA (LSU), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), and β-tubulin (TUB2), including a significant number of representative species of the main lineages in the Xylariales. These analyses led to the introduction of 24 new species: Amphibambusa cerosissimae, Am. subbambusicola, Anthostomella guangxiensis, Arecophila guizhouensis, Ar. subguizhouensis, Biscogniauxia betulae, Cainia daweishanensis, Ca. shilihetanensis, Daldinia guizhouensis, Digitodochium damingshanense, D. xishuangbannense, D. zhangjiajiense, Fasciatispora guizhouensis, Helicogermslita nulliclypeata, Magnostiolata shiwandashanensis, Minuticlypeus yunnanensis, Nemania huangjingensis, Spirodecospora anshunensis, S. daweishanensis, S. jichuanenii, S. jinghongensis, Vamsapriya clypeata, V. damingshanensis, and V. shiwandashanensis. Additionally, we report the occurrence of three new records in China, which includes Amphibambusa bambusicola, Biscogniauxia petrensis, and Fasciatispora cocoes. A new combination Magnostiolata guizhouensis (= Anthostomella guizhouensis) is proposed based on comparative morphological analysis and phylogenetic evidence. Morphologically similar species and phylogenetically close taxa are compared and discussed. Comprehensive morphological descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of new taxa are provided.

Keywords: Anthostomella-like fungi – Ascomycetes – bambusicolous fungi – fungal systematics – new species

 

2. Towards an integrative morpho-molecular classification of the Lulworthiomycetidae

Authors: Dayarathne MC, Jones EBG, Rämä T, Hagestad OC, Abdel-Wahab MA, Bahkali AH, Prematunga C, Azevedo E, Hyde KD, Caeiro MF, Barata M, Sarma VV, Devadatha B, Guo SY, Sakayaroj J and Pang KL

Recieved: 07 June 2024, Accepted: 25 December 2024, Published: 21 February 2025

This study re-evaluates the classification of the Lulworthiomycetidae based on phylogenetic analyses of 18S, 28S and ITS (internal transcribed spacers and 5.8S) regions of rDNA and protein coding genes (TEF1α, RPB1, RPB2, TUB2, MCM7) along with comprehensive morphological comparisons. Based on the current phylogenetic data we consider the genus Spathulospora as a member of the Lulworthiales, Lulworthiomycetidae, and redundancy of the taxon Spathulosporales. This study confirms Lulworthia as polyphyletic with the characteristic filiform, long ascospores with an end chamber, which is found in many genera: Halazoon, Halophilomyces, Lulwoana, Lulwoidea, Matsusporium, Paralulworthia, Paramoleospora, Rostrupiella, and Sammeyersia. These genera can be distinguished by morphology, their asexual morphs and molecular phylogeny. The Lulworthiomycetidae includes 23 genera and 69 species. One new genus (Lindriella) and eight new species (Hydea mangrovei, Lulworthia norwegica, Matsusporium japonica, Moromyces mangrovis, Paralulworthia lignicola, Rostrupiella longispora, Sammeyersia yanbuensis, S. thailandica) are introduced, with four new combinations.

 

Keywords: 9 new taxa – ecology – marine Ascomycota – life below water – taxonomy

 

3. Morpho-molecular characterization and pathogenicity of fungi associated with sweet cherry (Prunus avium) trunk diseases in China

Authors: Zhang W, Chen P, Zhou Y, Manawasinghe IS, Ji S, Li X, Al-Otibi F, Hyde KD, Abeywickrama PD, and Yan J

Recieved: 15 July 2024, Accepted: 03 January 2025, Published: 05 March 2025

The production of sweet cherries makes a substantial economic contribution to many nations. However, little is known about the microfungi associated with sweet cherries globally, although fungal pathogens significantly affect tree health and production. Samples exhibiting trunk disease symptoms were collected from six provinces in China and 193 fungal isolates were obtained. Based on morpho-molecular approaches, these ascomycetous taxa were classified into 26 species in ten genera, nine families in Dothideomycetes, Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes. Among them, nine novel host records and two new geographical reports are identified. Pathogenicity assays revealed Colletotrichum godetiae, Co. fioriniae, Fusarium annulatum, F. verticillioides, F. compactum, F. citri, Fusarium sp., Neocosmospora solani and Ne. metavorans were causing symptoms on one-year old detached sweet cherry shoots. Fusarium planum, F. sulawesiense and F. lateritium did not develop any symptoms during the pathogenicity assay. Botryosphaeria dothidea, Cladosporium anthropophilum, Cl. cladosporioides, Cl. perangustum, Cl. ramotenellum, Cl. sphaerospermum, Cl. tenuissimum, Nothophoma pruni, No. quercina, Alternaria alternata, Monilinia fructicola, Cytospora leucostoma, Clonostachys farinose, Fusarium planum, F. sulawesiense and F. lateritium species were associated with trunk disease symptoms. In addition, we provide updated backbone trees for Alternaria, Botryosphaeria, Cladosporium, Clonostachys, Colletotrichum, Cytospora, Fusarium, Monilinia, Neocosmospora and Nothophoma. These findings revealed the high diversity of microfungi associated with cherry trunk diseases and this study is the first comprehensive study on the pathogenic micro-fungi associated with sweet cherry trunk diseases in China. Future studies are required to understand the pathogenicity mechanisms and disease epidemiology of isolated species and their impact on cherry production in China.

Keywords: Fungal taxonomy – Fusarium oxysporum species complex – Koch’s postulates – Monilinia – Trunk diseases

 

4. Multigene phylogeny of seven wood-inhabiting fungal orders in Basidiomycota, and proposal of a new genus and thirteen new species

Authors: Yang Y, Xu Y, Wang L, Jiang QQ, Su JQ, Li R, Zhou HM and Zhao CL

Recieved: 12 July 2024, Accepted: 08 February 2025, Published: 19 March 2025

The wood-inhabiting fungal orders play a central role in understanding the diversity in Basidiomycota, and their significance in the recycling of organic matter and nutrient cycling. Typically they are categorized as the white-rot and brown-rot fungi. In the present study, wood-inhabiting fungi were collected from various locations in Yunnan Province, China. These collections were further identified using comprehensive analysis of combined morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses encompassed the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), small subunit mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences (mtSSU), translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1-α), RNA polymerase II largest subunit (rpb1), and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2). Based on these, this study presents a new genus, Gracilihypha, and thirteen new species from seven orders and eight families as Coniophoropsis sinensis, Gloeopeniophorella bambusicola, Gloiothele yunnanensis, Gracilihypha abeliae, Hyphoderma asianum, H. qujingense, Hyphodontia daweishanensis, Kneiffiella qujingensis, Merismodes wumengshanensis, M. yunnanensis, Peniophora fissurata, Punctulariopsis asiana, and Sertulicium yunnanense. Furthermore, this multi-locus approach allowed for a robust assessment of the evolutionary relationships within the fungal community. To enhance accessibility and understanding, herein we include illustrated descriptions of the newly proposed taxa and comprehensive notes on the genera. Our study will provide new insight into the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi while contributing new species to basidiomycete.

Keywords: Agaricomycetes, basidiomata morphogenesis, ecology, fungal classification, multiple genes, new taxa

 

5. Systematic revision, molecular phylogeny and divergence times of Thelephorales (Basidiomycota)

Authors: Song CG, Xu TM, Xu YH, Wang D, Zeng L, Fan XP, Sun YF, Cui BK

Recieved: 20 July 2024, Accepted: 18 February 2025, Published: 19 March 2025

Thelephorales is an important order of macro-fungi belonging to Basidiomycota. Species in this order play an essential role in the biogeochemical cycle in forest ecosystems and bring an essential economic value in developing and utilizing edible and medicinal fungal resources. In this study, the classification system of Thelephorales was revised based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses. The DNA sequences of multiple loci, including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nSSU), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2) were used to construct phylogenetic relationships and infer the divergence time of Thelephorales. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that six clades at the family level were obtained in Thelephorales with high supports. The ancestor of Thelephorales split at about 269.07 Mya, and the mean stem ages of the families of Thelephorales were centralized differentiation in 145.95– 269.07 Mya. Combined with morphological studies, Thelephorales were confirmed to comprise six families, including four new families: Lenzitopsidaceae, Polyozellaceae, Sarcodonaceae, Tomentellopsidaceae, and two existing families: Bankeraceae and Thelephoraceae. There are twelve identified genera viz. Amaurodon, Boletopsis, Corneroporus, Hydnellum, Lenzitopsis, Neosarcodon, Odontia, Sarcodon, Phellodon, Polyozellus, Thelephora, and Tomentellopsis. Furthermore, 20 new species were described, and 4 new combinations were proposed. Illustrated descriptions and scanning electron micrographs of the basidiospores of the new species were provided. Keys to Thelephorales and the accepted families, and the notes of the accepted genera in Thelephorales were also provided

Keywords: ectomycorrhizal fungi – Thelephorales – multi-gene phylogeny – taxonomy – evolution

 

6. Dictyostelids: The second major group of slime molds

Authors: Liu P, Zhang ZJ, Ge JH, Zou Y, Li Z, Li S, Li Y, and Stephenson SL

Recieved: 19 December 2024, Accepted: 28 March 2025, Published: 25 April 2025

The dictyostelids (also called cellular slime molds or social amoebae) are among the more abundant and widespread groups of microorganisms in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this fact, they are totally unknown to most people, who sometimes confuse the dictyostelids with myxomycetes (or plasmodial slime molds). The first dictyostelid (Dictyostelium mucoroides) was described by the German Oskar Brefeld in 1869. More than 180 species are now known, and these organisms have been recorded from the high arctic to the subantarctic. The primary microhabitat for dictyostelids is the soil/humus layer on a forest floor, but they also occur in a number of other microhabitats. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of dictyostelids, including their occurrence, distribution, relationships with other organisms, methods used for isolation, history of their study, and classification. The assemblages of species associated with each major type of ecosystem (tropical forest, temperate forest, boreal forest, tundra, grassland, savanna, and desert) are described. In addition, the compounds produced by dictyostelids and their possible applications are discussed.

Keywords: Biogeography – classification – ecology – history – methods of study – slime molds

 

7. Complex evolutionary history of the fungal order Hymenochaetales revealed by analyses of trait evolution and diversification

Authors: Wang XW, Varga T, Li QS, Nagy LG and Zhou LW

Recieved: 24 October 2024, Accepted: 02 April 2025, Published: 25 April 2025

The tempo and mode of speciation and extinction of species shape the extant diversity of organisms and hold a footprint of past evolutionary events and adaptive periods. However, in contrast to most animals and plants, fungal diversification patterns are poorly known. Here, using a novel, nearly comprehensive phylogeny, we analyze speciation and extinction patterns of the order Hymenochaetales (Agaricomycetes), which is a speciose group of important wood-decaying fungi and tree pathogens. We show that the Hymenochaetales had a convoluted and eventful evolutionary history, shaped by an early adaptive period, followed by a general rate slowdown interrupted by local rapid radiations in the Cretaceous. We inferred that the ancestor of the order has undergone rapid phenotypic diversification into a range of fruiting body morphologies and lifestyles, of which crust-like morphologies and ‘pileate-sessile’ forms typical of bracket-fungi became dominant among extant taxa. Diversification rate showed significant correlations with paleotemperature, morphological and ecological traits; however, teasing apart the contributions of individual clades revealed that these were mostly driven by the Mid-late Cretaceous rapid radiation of the genus Phylloporia, a taxonomically diverse group of plant parasites. Together, this study unraveled a complex evolutionary history of the Hymenochaetales and uncovered novel patterns of phenotype evolution and diversification in mushroom-forming fungi.

Keywords: Basidiomycota – diversification rate – adaptive radiation – global warming – the expansion of angiosperms

 

8. Orders of Ascomycota

Authors: Thiyagaraja V, Hyde KD, Piepenbring M, Davydov EA, Dai DQ, Abdollahzadeh J, Bundhun D, Chethana KWT, Crous PW, Gajanayake AJ, Gomdola D, Haelewaters D, Johnston PR, Mardones M, Perera RH, Senanayake IC, Tibpromma S, Yasanthika WAE, Abbasi MW, Abdel-Wahab MA, Absalan S, Acharya K, Afshari N, Aouali S, Aptroot A, Apurillo CCS, Armand A, Avasthi S, Bao DF, Bhat DJ, Blondelle A, Boonmee S, Boonyuen N, Braun U, Čadež N, Calabon MS, Cazabonne J, Chakraborty N, Cheewangkoon R, Chen K-H, Coleine C, Darmostuk V, Daroodi Z, Dasgupta D, de Groot MD, De Hoog S, Deng W, Dissanayake AJ, Dissanayake LS, Doilom M, Dong W, Dong W, Ertz D, Fortuna JL, Gautam AK, Gorczak M, Groenewald M, Groenewald JZ, Gunarathne A, Han Y, Hongsanan S, Hou CL, Htet YM, Htet ZH, Huang Q, Huang SK, Huanraluek N, Jayalal RGU, Jayasiri SC, Jayawardena RS, Jiang SH, Jones EBG, Karimi O, Karunarathna SC, Khuna S, Kossmann T, Kularathnage ND, Lestari AS, Li CJY, Li JF, Lin CG, Liu JK, Liu X, Liu Y, Lu L, Lu YZ, Luo ZL, Ma J, Madagammana AS, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Marasinghe DS, Martzoukou E, Marin-Felix Y, Miller AN, Monkai J, Noorabadi MT, Norphanphoun C, Olariaga I, Opiña LAD, Pang KL, Peng X, Péter G, Phillips AJL, Pineda MM, Prieto M, Quan Y, Quandt A, Rajeshkumar KC, Rambold G, Raymundo T, Raza M, Réblová M, Samaradiwakara NP, Sarma VV, Schultz M, Seifollahi E, Selbmann L, Su H, Sun YR, Tehler A, Tennakoon DS, Thambugala KM, Tian WH, Tsurykau A, Valenzuela R, Verma RK, Wang J, Wang WP, Wang XY, Wang Y, Wang Z, Wei DP, Wen T, Wijayawardene NN, Wimalasena MK, Worthy FR, Wu HX, Xu L, Yakovchenko LS, Yu FM, Zeng XY, Zhang SN, Zhang ZY, Zhao Q1, Wanasinghe DN

Recieved: 05 September 2024, Accepted: 09 April 2025, Published: 18 May 2025

Ascomycota, the most speciose phylum of fungi, is a complex entity, comprising three diverse subphyla: Pezizomycotina, Saccharomycotina, and Taphrinomycotina. The largest and most diverse subphylum, Pezizomycotina, is a rich tapestry of 16 classes and 171 orders. Saccharomycotina, the second largest subphylum, is a diverse collection of seven classes and 12 orders, while Taphrinomycotina, the smallest, is a unique assembly of six classes and six orders. Over the past decade, numerous taxonomic studies have focused on the generic, family, and class classifications of Ascomycota. These efforts, well-documented across various databases, are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the classification. However, the study of taxonomy at the ordinal level, a crucial tier in the taxonomic hierarchy, has been largely overlooked. In a global collaboration with mycologists and lichenologists, this study presents the first comprehensive information on the orders within Pezizomycotina and Taphrinomycotina. The recent taxonomic classification of Saccharomycotina has led to the exclusion of this subphylum from the present study, as an immediate revision is not necessary. Each order is thoroughly discussed, highlighting its historical significance, current status, key identification characteristics, evolutionary relationships, ecological and economic roles, future recommendations, and updated family-level classification. Teaching diagrams for the life cycles of several orders, viz. Asterinales, Helotiales, Hypocreales, Laboulbeniales, Meliolales, Mycosphaerellales, Ophiostomatales, Pezizales, Pleosporales, Phyllachorales, Rhytismatales, Sordariales, Venturiales, Xylariales (Pezizomycotina) and Pneumocystidales, Schizosaccharomycetales and Taphrinales (Taphrinomycotina) are provided. Each diagram is explained with a representative genus/genera of their sexual and asexual cycles of each order. Within Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes contains the highest number of orders, with 57, followed by Sordariomycetes (52 orders), Lecanoromycetes (21 orders), Eurotiomycetes and Leotiomycetes (12 orders each), Laboulbeniomycetes (3 orders), and Arthoniomycetes and Xylonomycetes (2 orders each). Candelariomycetes, Coniocybomycetes, Geoglossomycetes, Lichinomycetes, Orbiliomycetes, Pezizomycetes, Sareomycetes, and Xylobotryomycetes each contain a single order, while Thelocarpales and Vezdaeales are treated as incertae sedis within Pezizomycotina. Notably, the classes Candelariomycetes, Coniocybomycetes, Geoglossomycetes, Sareomycetes, and Xylonomycetes, all recently grouped under Lichinomycetes, are treated as separate classes based on phylogenetic analysis and current literature. Within Lecanoromycetes, the synonymization of Sporastatiales with Rhizocarpales and Sarrameanales with Schaereriales is not supported in the phylogenetic analysis. These orders are retained separately, and the justifications are provided under each section as well as in the discussion. Within Leotiomycetes, the order Medeolariales, which was once considered part of Helotiales, is treated as a distinct order based on phylogenetic evidence. The classification of Medeolariales may change as more data becomes available from different gene regions. Lahmiales (Leotiomycetes) is not included in the phylogenetic analysis due to a lack of molecular data. Sareomycetes and Xylonomycetes are treated as separate classes. Spathulospora mixed with Lulworthiales and the inclusion of Spathulosporales within Lulworthiomycetidae is supported and extant molecular sampling is important to resolve the phylogenetic boundaries of members of this subclass. The majority of the classes of Pezizomycotina and Taphrinomycotina formed monophyletic clades in the phylogenetic analysis conducted based on SSU, LSU, 5.8S, TEF and RPB2 sequence data. However, Arthoniomycetes nested with the basal lineage of Dothideomycetes and formed a monophyletic clade also known as the superclass, Dothideomyceta. In Taphrinomycotina, a single order is accepted within each class.

Keywords: Classification – Morphology – Pezizomycotina – Phylogeny – Taphrinomycotina – taxonomy

 

9. Exploration of ascomycetous fungi revealing novel taxa in Southwestern China

Authors: Habib K, WH Li, YL Ren, LL Liu, CT Lu, QF Zhang, ZQ Yao, XY Luo, X Zhou, WY Zeng, YQ Kang, XC Shen, Wijayawardene NN, Elgorban AM, Al-Rejaie S, QR Li

Recieved: 15 January 2025, Accepted: 21 April 2025, Published: 23 May 2025

This study explores the fungal diversity of Southwestern China, focusing on ascomycetous fungi associated with decaying plant materials. Through morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, we identified 31 new species and a new genus across six fungal orders, Amphisphaeriales, Chaetosphaeriales, Dyfrolomycetales, Hypocreales, Pleosporales, and Xylariales. The newly described species include Allodiatrype flavigelida, Anteaglonium stromatolineum, Anthostomatopsis chinensis, An. suiyangensis, Apiospora anshunensis, Arecophila chinensis, Ar. amphibambusina, Astrocystis liuzhouensis, Astrosphaeriella gaofengensis, As. roseobrunnea, Coniolariella cuneiapicalis, Didymobotryum bambusae, Digitodochium anshunense, Fissuroma chinense, Immotthia chinensis, Lophiostoma bijiense, L. yunnanense, Magnostiolata tubulariapicalis, Ma. subtubularia, Melomastia chinensis, Memnoniella chrysanthemi, Minuticlypeus biconcavus, Nemania jiuwanshanensis, Neolinocarpon huaxiense, Nigropunctata chinensis, Ni. liuzhouensis, Pallidoperidium chinense, Peroneutypa heveae, Rosellinia nemaniae, R. putrida and Vamsapriya kailiensis. Additionally, we propose six new combinations based on comparative morphological and phylogenetic analyses, Amphigermslita subyunnanensis, Am. yunnanensis, Anthostomatopsis guizhouensis, Minuticlypeus rhaphidophylli, M. xiaohensis and Pallidoperidium smilacis. Furthermore, we report three taxa, Astrosphaeriella bambusae, Didymobotryum rigidum, and Endocalyx melanoxanthus as new geographical records in China. Previous studies and our phylogenetic analyses revealed that the genera Muscodor, Emarcea, and Spiririma form a monophyletic clade distinct from representatives of Xylariaceae, for which we propose the new family Muscodoraceae fam. nov. These findings highlight the fungal diversity of this ecologically rich region, with its varied climates and habitats ranging from subtropical forests to alpine ecosystems. The species described in this study represent only a small fraction of mycoflora in the region, emphasizing the need for further comprehensive surveys via polyphasic approaches to uncover the full extent of the mycoflora in this region.

 

Keywords: bambusicolous fungi – fungal diversity – novel taxa – taxonomy – Xylariales

 

10. Genera of soil Ascomycota and an account on soil-inhabiting species isolated from Thailand

Authors: Yasanthika WAE, Chethana KWT, Fatimah Al-Otibi, Wanasinghe DN, Tennakoon DS, Samarakoon MC, Bhat DJ, Ren GC, de Silva NI, Ekanayaka AH, Thakshila SAD, Farias ARG, Hyde KD

Recieved: 16 February 2025, Accepted: 09 April 2025, Published: 28 May 2025

Ascomycota is the most abundant fungal group in soils worldwide. They play a vital role in ecosystem functioning in edaphic habitats. Numerous studies over the past two decades have provided information about belowground taxa, though much of it is scattered across various publications. We have compiled a taxonomic outline and comprehensive notes, most with line drawings, for 270 Ascomycota genera found in soils worldwide. The majority belong to Sordariomycetes (45%), Dothideomycetes (28%), and Eurotiomycetes (15%), commonly found in forests, cultivated lands, and urban soils. Thailand, being a tropical country with high biodiversity, has limited studies on soil fungi. Fungal studies have mainly focused on agricultural and forest soils, with around 132 genera reported over the past two decades. Therefore, we investigated Ascomycota species from three different soil ecosystems in Thailand. Samples were collected from caves, forests and urban areas to capture a variety of genera present. Species isolation was conducted using the soil dilution and soil baiting methods, followed by a polyphasic approach for species identification, which included morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Our study reveals 30 species, including nine new species and 21 host and geographical records from soil in Thailand. Commonly recovered genera include Curvularia, Paraconiothyrium, Pyrenochaetopsis, Stachybotrys and Microascus, while Anteaglonium, Diaporthosporella, Neoceratosperma, Paraleptospora and Pararoussoella are newly reported from soil. Thai caves hold unexploited fungal diversity and urban soil fungi require further exploration due to their ecological roles and potential health risks. Compared to neighboring countries, fungal research in Thailand remains limited, particularly in caves, urban areas and hot springs. Expanding investigations across diverse habitats will enhance our understanding of soil Ascomycota and their ecological significance. This compilation serves as a key resource for taxonomists and researchers studying soil fungi.

Keywords: 9 new taxa – culture dependent methods – Dothideomycetes – Eurotiomycetes – soil fungi – Sordariomycetes

 

11. Microfungi associated with plant diseases on horticultural vegetation in southwestern China

Authors: Yang CL, Li XY, Xiang SS, Xu XL, Zeng Q, Sun QR, Liu JK, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Lv YC, Wang FH, Ji-Zuo JL, A-Niu XY, Liu YG

Recieved: 29 August 2024, Accepted: 17 May 2025, Published: 03 June 2025

Horticultural plants are essential natural resources upon which human survival relies, offering diverse means of sustenance, including food, medicine, chemical raw materials, construction materials, landscaping, cultural significance, and tourism. In recent years, the widespread and increasingly harmful fungal diseases in horticultural plants have prompted this study to investigate the diversity and composition of their pathogenic fungi. Over the past six years (2019 to 2024), diseased tissues from horticultural plants in southwestern China were collected and assessed using measurements based on both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses involving combined multi-locus sequence data. A total of 38 fungi were classified into two phyla, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, and four classes: Sordariomycetes (Amphisphaeriales, Diaporthales, Glomerellales, Hypocreales, and Phyllachorales), Dothideomycetes (Botryosphaeriales, Capnodiales, Cladosporiales, Mycosphaerellales, Myriangiales, and Pleosporales), Exobasidiomycetes (Exobasidiales), and Leotiomycetes (Helotiales), totaling 13 orders. In this paper, we propose one new genus in Pleosporales (Paramassarina) and 13 new species, namely Colletotrichum cymbidiumdis, Conidiocarpus cinnamomeus, Cladosporium viciae, Cytospora sichuanense, Diaporthe erythrinae, Exosporium rhapidis, Fumagospora cinnamomi, Neocosmospora phalaenopsidis, Neoscytalidium hylocereum-undulatum, Paramassarina euonymicola, Paraphoma populi, Phaeosphaeria phormii, and Pseudocercospora populina.

Additionally, we report 19 species as new host or geographical records, 17 of which represent new host records, including Botryosphaeria dothidea, Cladosporium guizhouense, Colletotrichum cymbidiicola, Col. guangyuanense, Col. plurivorum, Cytospora predappioensis, Diaporthe eres, Di. middletonii, Di. sojae, Drepanopeziza brunnea, Elsinoe araliae, Graphiola phoenicis, Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, Neopestalotiopsis concentrica, Neop. dimorphospora, Neovaginatispora fuckelii, and Paraconiothyrium brasiliense, and two species are new host and geographical record, namely Pestalotiopsis oryzae and Phyllosticta citribrasiliensis. Morphological illustrations, phenotypic descriptions, and phylograms are provided to elucidate the placement of the new collections in this study. These fungi, originating from infected tissues, are linked to diseases either through observed symptoms or previous studies suggesting their potential pathogenicity. Further research is needed to confirm the pathogenicity of these species using Koch's postulates.

Keywords: 13 new taxa – Ascomycota – Basidiomycota – Horticultural fungi – Blumeria – Botryosphaeria – Cladosporium – Colletotrichum – Conidiocarpus – Cytospora – Diaporthe – Drepanopeziza – Elsinoe – Exosporium – Fumagospora – Graphiola – Lasiodiplodia – Neocosmospora – Neofusicoccum – Neopestalotiopsis – Neoscytalidium – Neovaginatispora – Paraconiothyrium – Paramassarina – Paraphoma – Pestalotiopsis – Phaeosphaeria – Phyllachora – Phyllosticta – Pseudocercospora

 

12. Microfungi associated with walnut trees in southwestern China

Authors: Wang FH, Xu XL, Zeng Q, Liu LJ, Liu F, Deng Y, Sun QR, Yan YQ, Li XY, Xiang SS, Shuai Q, Liu YG, Li SJ, Yang H, Han S, Liu L, Yang CL

Recieved: 02 January 2025, Accepted: 12 June 2025, Published: 10 July 2025

The plant family, Juglandaceae comprises economically important tree species that are extensively cultivated worldwide, with the Juglans and Carya genera representing the largest areas of cultivation. Fungi associated with Juglandaceae plants are diverse and widespread, with about 200 walnut-related species identified in China based on around 120 fragmented references. To date, there have been few systematic studies conducted on walnut fungi in China. In this study, diseased branches, leaves, fruits, and litter showing symptoms of infection were collected to conduct an in-depth investigation of Ascomycota fungi associated with walnuts in Sichuan, southwestern China. The fungi were identified through morphological analysis and multi-gene phylogenetic methods, revealing one phylum, four classes, 14 orders, 26 families, 42 genera, and 90 species among our newly collected specimens. This paper describes one new genus, Neomelanconis (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales), and 25 new species, including Alternaria ganziense, Aurantiascoma juglandis, Botryosphaeria gaoxianense, B. neijiangense, B. yibinense, Colletotrichum beichuanense, Co. shehongense, Cladosporium rugae, Dothiorella pugeense, Diaporthe mianyangense, Juglanconis magnatum, J. mucosporium, Kirschsteiniothelia yantingense, Lasiodiplodia chongzhouense, L. juglans, Nectria fusiformispora, Neomelanconis juglandis, Neofusicoccum juglans, Neof. wenchuanense, Ophiognomonia pseudopterocaryae, Paraeutypella neijiangense, Periconia yantingense, Scopulariopsis pseudobrevicaulis, Sphaerulina curvecylindrospora, and Trichothecium downum. In addition, 37 new host records and 35 new geographical records were documented. Morphologically similar species and phylogenetically related taxa are compared and discussed, with detailed descriptions and illustrations provided for each species. This study did not perform pathogenicity tests on all species, and potential pathogens were identified mainly based on field symptoms and existing literature on their pathogenicity, with future experiments planned to systematically assess these species in accordance with Koch's postulates. This study further highlights the fungal diversity associated with walnut plants, uncovering numerous previously unknown species.

Keywords: 25 new taxa – Juglans – Carya – morphology – phylogeny – Ascomycota

 

13. Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal ferns in Guizhou Province, China Ⅰ: Morpho-molecular characterization of culturable endophytic fungi associated with Dicranopteris spp.

Authors: Bao DF, Zhang JY, Lu YZ, Tian XG, Hyde KD, Liu NG, Xiao YP, Luo ZL, Karunarathna SC, Samarakoon MC, Xiao XJ, Ma J, Yang Y, Han JJ, Zhao GL, He ZJ, Wen TC, Liu ZH, Kang JC

Recieved: 19 February 2025, Accepted: 22 June 2025, Published: 19 July 2025

Endophytic fungi, a subject of increasing interest among researchers, possess the unique ability to produce a diverse array of compounds with significant biological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-oxidant effects. What sets these fungi apart is their capacity to synthesize compounds that are identical or similar to those found in their host plants. This intriguing characteristic has made endophytic fungi in medicinal plants a key area of scientific exploration. Our current study, a pioneering systematic investigation of endophytic fungi associated with medicinal ferns in Guizhou Province, China, is the first in a series focusing on the morpho-molecular taxonomy of culturable endophytic fungi associated with Dicranopteris species. We isolated 84 endophytic fungal strains from various tissues and identified them as 59 distinct species based on both morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis. A new family, Massicellisporaceae, three new genera viz. Massicellispora, Miniglobosispora, and Pseudopopulomyces, and 24 new species viz. Amorocoelophoma dicranopterisis, Arxiella ellipsoidea, Castanediella dicranopteridis, Cladophialophora globosa, Colletotrichum dicranopterisis, C. guttulatisporum, Dactylonectria dicranopteridis, Diaporthe dicranopteridis, Geniculoseta dicranopteridis, Hypoxylon dicranopteridis, Ilyonectria dicranopteridis, Massicellispora dicranopteris, M. globosa, Miniglobosispora guizhounises, Neopestalotiopsis dicranopteridis, Nigrospora dicranopteridis, Periconia dicranopterisis, Pezicula dicranopteridis, Pseudodactylaria dicranopteridis, Omnidemptus dicranopteridis, Pseudopopulomyces dicranopteridis, Sphaerostilbella dicranopteridis, Trichocladium dicranopteridis, and Verruconis hyalina are introduced. Additionally, 35 new host or geographical records are reported. Several species are also re-evaluated: Diaporthe hainanensis and D. harriottiae are synonymized under D. arecae, Colletotrichum juglandis is synonymized as C. simulanticitri, while, C. gracile, C. oblongisporum, and C. nullisetosum are consolidated into a single species, as C. jiangxiense, and Cashiella sticheri was transferred to Pezicula as P. sticheri based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results are provided for all species introduced in this study. A checklist of fungi associated with Dicranopteris is also included. This study enhances our understanding of the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with medicinal Dicranopteris and lays a foundation for future research into their ecological roles and pharmacological potential.

 

Keywords: 29 new taxa – Dothideomycetes – Endophytes – Massicellisporaceae – Medicinal plants – Sordariomycetes – Taxonomy

 

14. Peat swamp Ascomycota associated with palms (Arecaceae) from Narathiwat, Thailand

Authors: Karimi O, Hyde KD, Asghari R, Chethana KWT, Kaewchai S, Al-Otibi F and Li QR

Recieved: 24 January 2025, Accepted: 08 July 2025, Published: 28 July 2025

Peat swamp forests are critical ecosystems that serve as significant carbon stores. However, they are increasingly threatened by deforestation and land-use changes. The peat swamp forests in Narathiwat, southern Thailand, represent the last remaining primary peat swamp ecosystems in the country, yet studies on microfungi in these habitats remain limited and mostly lack molecular data. This study focuses on identifying and characterizing fungi associated with palms, particularly Eleiodoxa conferta, in the peat swamp forests of Narathiwat, Thailand. Based on detailed morphological comparisons and multi-gene phylogenetic studies, we introduce one new genus, Narathiwatomyces, along with 25 new species, viz., Cancellidium narathiwatense, Chaetosphaeria narathiwatensis, Chloridium narathiwatense, Conioscypha narathiwatensis, Daldinia narathiwatensis, Gongromerizella palmicola, Helicoma narathiwatense, H. eleiodoxae, Javarisimilis narathiwatensis, Lentistoma narathiwatense, Longivarius narathiwatensis, Narathiwatomyces confertae, Nawawia narathiwatensis, Neohelicosporium narathiwatense, Ne. arecacearum, Neoleptodontidium narathiwatense, Pseudosaprodesmium narathiwatense, Savoryella narathiwatensis, Stanjehughesia narathiwatensis, Strossmayeria narathiwatensis, Tamhinispora narathiwatensis, Terriera narathiwatensis, Tubeufia narathiwatensis, Vamsapriya narathiwatensis and Yunnanomyces narathiwatensis. Furthermore, we report 16 new records based on host, geographical, or habitat associations. These include 11 previously described species — Ernakulamia cochinensis, Lasiodiplodia brasiliensis, La. theobromae, Linocarpon appendiculatum, Longicorpus striataspora, Megacapitula villosa, Neohelicosporium fusisporum, Nigrospora chinensis, Polyancora globosa, Pseudodactylaria longidenticulata, Trichoderma virens — as well as Conioscypha narathiwatensis, Longivarius narathiwatensis, Neoleptodontidium narathiwatense, Terriera narathiwatensis, and Vamsapriya narathiwatensis, which represent the first records of their respective genera on the host family Arecaceae. Each taxon is provided with detailed descriptions and illustrations, along with a concise summary for each family and genus. This study enhances our understanding of fungal diversity in peat swamp forests and validates the identification of species introduced in previous studies, which relied solely on morphological analysis. By incorporating molecular data, it ensures more accurate taxonomic placement.

Keywords: 25 new species – Dothideomycetes – molecular data – morphology – Sordariomycetes – taxonomy

 

15. Epidemiology, risk factors and virulence analysis of Candida infection in Southwest China

Authors: Wang D, Wang C, Wang YY, Pan WH, Luo G, Huang XH, Xue WW, Nie L, Chen CB and Kang YQ

Recieved: 24 April 2025, Accepted: 18 July 2025, Published: 30 July 2025

Fungal infections, especially invasive candidiasis caused by Candida species, have been shown to increase mortality rates among critically ill patients. However, there remains a dearth of epidemiological data on invasive Candida infections in Southwest China. This retrospective study sought to address this gap by investigating species distribution, underlying diseases, and risk factors among hospitalized patients with confirmed Candida infections in hospitals of Southwest China from 2019-2023. Additionally, we systematically analyzed the virulence properties of strains isolated from different clinical sources and action of cytokines involved in inflammatory and immune responses. A total of 4662 patients were included in the present study, with 174 identified as having bloodstream infection. Our data revealed that Candida albicans was the predominant infecting organism. Univariate analysis showed significant differences in ICU admission, respiratory dysfunction, solid tumors, neurological disorders, and gastrointestinal pathology between patients with C. albicans infections and those with non-albicans Candida infections. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that non-albicans Candida species are common pathogens in central venous catheter associated bloodstream infections [OR (2.488; 95% CI, 1.043-5.934)]. The invasive virulence determinants of the clinical Candida strains were also determined in vitro and in vivo (Galleria mellonella and murine models). And cytokine profiles in mice with C. albicans infections varied by the source of the isolate. The prevalence of non-albicans Candida infections in Southwest China is progressively rising annually, exacerbated by underlying comorbidities in infected individuals. Thus, our work underscores the significance of prompt identification, diagnosis and management of Candida infections in clinical practice.

Keywords: bloodstream infection – candidiasis – cytokine profiles – epidemiology – risk factors – virulence

 

16. Notes, outline, taxonomy and phylogeny of wood-inhabiting Agaricales

Authors: Dong JH, Chen ML, Chen M, Li Q, Zhu YJ, Zhang XC, Zhou CQ, Li W, Muhammad A, Zhou HM, Jabeen S, Zhao CL

Recieved: 18 March 2025, Accepted: 30 July 2025, Published: 13 August 2025

The order Agaricales covers fungi with diverse basidiomata types, and as one of the most species-rich orders within the phylum Basidiomycota, it comprises over 40,000 described species, whose basidiomata exhibit a remarkable spectrum of morphological diversity ranging from resupinate (corticioid) to conchate, cyphelloid, stereoid, clavarioid, agaricoid, gasteroid, sequestrate, or highly complex, with lamellate, smooth, wrinkled, odontoid, poroid hymenophore, demonstrating the broad adaptive evolutionary features. Such morphological plasticity not only reflects the functional complexity in ecological roles, reproductive strategies, and habitat adaptation but also provides the critical evidence for taxonomic delineation and phylogenetic reconstruction research. Traditionally, morphological characters have been used to identify and classify wood-inhabiting Agaricales, which has led to many taxonomic controversies. Modern molecular methods, based on DNA sequence data, have led to a more reliable and natural classification of wood-inhabiting Agaricales. The present study revises the taxonomy of the wood-inhabiting Agaricales based on both morphology and phylogeny. In total, 199 genera belong to the wood-inhabiting Agaricales, with 65 genera having brief notes provided. Of these, 40 families belong to wood-inhabiting Agaricales (eg., Physalacriaceae: 18; Porotheleaceae: 16; Cyphellaceae: 15; Cyphellopsidaceae: 12; Omphalotaceae: 11; Mycenaceae: 9; Cystostereaceae: 8; Phyllotopsidaceae: 7; Pterulaceae: 7; Strophariaceae: 7; Crepidotaceae: 6; Nidulariaceae: 6; Psathyrellaceae: 6; Tubariaceae: 6; Campanellaceae: 5; Crepidotaceae: 5; Lyophyllaceae: 5; Clavariaceae: 4; Lichenomphaliaceae: 4; Marasmiaceae: 4; Pleurotaceae: 4; Radulomycetaceae: 4; Stephanosporaceae: 3; Bolbitiaceae: 2; Callistosporiaceae: 2; Fistulinaceae: 2; Hygrocybaceae: 2; Lycoperdaceae: 2; Sarcomyxaceae: 2; Schizophyllaceae: 2; Typhulaceae: 2; Xeromphalinaceae: 2; Broomeiaceae: 1; Cantharellulaceae: 1; Clitocybaceae: 1; Fayodiaceae: 1; Hygrophoraceae: 1; Mythicomycetaceae: 1; Resupinataceae: 1; Tricholomataceae: 1). Multi-locus phylogeny, including 185 species of Agaricales within Basidiomycota, are carried out using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1-α), RNA polymerase II largest subunit (rpb1), and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and the results show that these species are phylogenetically placed in Agaricales (eg., 56 species in Omphalotaceae, 22 species in Cyphellopsidaceae, 16 species in Marasmiaceae, 10 species in Campanellaceae, 10 species in Resupinataceae). Based on morphology and multi-gene phylogeny, twelve new taxa are described in this study, including one new genus (Sicyoideibasidia) and eleven new species: Campanella yunnanensis, Collybiopsis albobasidiosa, Co. cremea, Co. yunnanensis, Dendrothele fissurata, Gracilihypha albohymenia, G. yunnanensis, Marasmius wumengshanensis, Resupinatus tenuis, Sicyoideibasidia bambusicola, and S. punctata. Detailed descriptions, morphological illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results are provided for these new taxa.

Keywords: Agaricales – multi-locus – molecular phylogeny – new taxa – taxonomy – wood-decaying fungi

 

17. Overview of the Chinese edible fungi industry of and developing trends analysis

Authors: Ling ZL, Ma XB, Zhao RL, Cao B, Huang CY, Zhao Q, Tan H, Kong FJ, He MQ, Hyde KD

Recieved: 29 April 2025, Accepted: 26 August 2025, Published: 09 September 2025

Edible fungi possess high nutritional and medicinal values, and are playing an increasingly important role in promoting human health worldwide. Since 2000, China has become the world's largest producer and consumer of edible fungi. Based on comprehensive data on the edible fungi industry in China since 2014, as well as related scientific literature, we present an overview of the edible fungi industry in China in the recent decade and analyze developing trends. In recent years, the rapid development of cultivation and breeding technologies has driven high output and quality production of edible fungi. According to the data from the China Edible Fungi Association and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the total edible fungi production value in China increased from 225.81 billion RMB (33.95 billion USD) in 2014 to 388.72 billion RMB (47.17 billion USD) in 2022, and the global mushroom market size is 53.94 billion USD in 2022, thus the Chinese mushroom market accounting for 87.45% of the global annual production value. Our linear regression analysis predicts that this trend will continue, and China’s edible fungi production value is expected to increase to 527.39 billion RMB by 2030. These developments position edible fungi as a strategic component for global food security and climate-resilient agriculture, given their efficient resource utilization and adaptability. In China numerous species have been successfully domesticated with widespread cultivation, 24 species with rapidly expanding production since 2014 are introduced, including Auricularia spp., Coprinus comatus, Cordyceps militaris, Cyclocybe cylindracea complex, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma spp., Grifola frondosa, Hericium spp., Hymenopellis raphanipes, Lentinula edodes, Lyophyllum decastes, Morchella spp., Naematelia aurantialba complex, Phallus spp., Phlebopus portentosus, Pholiota microspora, Pleurotus spp., Sanghuangporus spp., Schizophyllum commune, Sparassis latifolia, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Tremella fuciformis, Volvariella volvacea and Wolfiporia hoelen. The various cultivated species and geographical conditions make the production model of edible fungi highly diversified. This has resulted in the transition from scattered household cultivation to cooperative production involving "Company + Farmer" coupled with the development of large-scale industrialized cultivation. Parallel advancements in processing technologies have been evident, as evidenced by the proliferation of commercial products; processed mushroom products have become increasingly common in the market. Bibliometric analysis of recent research (2014-2023) reveals accelerated innovation of edible fungi in four domains: genetic breeding, cultivation technology, bioactive components, and processing. A shift of the global innovation centre for edible fungi towards China is evident.

Keywords: Domesticated mushroom species – Edible fungi market trends – Industrial cultivation models – Mushroom processed products

 

18. Fungal community composition associated with the agarwood-producing tree, Aquilaria sinensis

Authors: Du TY, Tibpromma S, Hyde KD, Wang YH, Jeewon R, Mapook A, Zhang X, Lu WH, Chen XM, Alfagham AT, Elgorban AM, Kumla J, Dai DQ, Suwannarach N, and Karunarathna SC

Recieved: 12 June 2025, Accepted: 21 August 2025, Published: 30 September 2025

Agarwood, a precious and rare resin, is primarily produced by Aquilaria sinensis of the plant family Thymelaeaceae. The fungi associated with Aquilaria are a rich source of secondary metabolites, demonstrating an exciting potential for drug discovery. However, despite its significance, there is a lack of comparative analysis of the fungal communities associated with different plant parts of A. sinensis and in different regions. In this study, we collected A. sinensis samples (agarwood resin, dead branches, healthy branches, and healthy leaves) from Maoming and Zhanjiang in Guangdong Province and Xishuangbanna and Yuanjiang in Yunnan Province, China. A total of 960 strains belonging to 64 genera of 44 families were successfully isolated. Among them, 142 strains had been previously reported in articles by our research team and were included in this study for community analysis. Based on a Venn diagram, the study revealed recombination relationships among fungal communities from plant parts and different collection sites. In addition, this study introduces new taxa belonging to the genera Banksiophoma, Deniquelata, Fomitiporia, and Montagnula, thereby enhancing our knowledge of the known fungal diversity in Aquilaria sinensis. At the same time, relevant notes on 64 genera are summarized, and their ecological functions, distribution, and relationships with Aquilaria spp. are discussed. For example, Fusarium is often reported to have the potential to induce the production of agarwood, providing valuable literature for further research. Overall, this study greatly enriches knowledge on the diversity of fungi associated with Aquilaria, providing potential "candidate fungal inducers", and lays a foundation for further exploring the ecological functions of agarwood and its associated fungi. Additionally, to avoid conceptual confusion, this study proposes that identifying fungi isolated from agarwood resin as 'agarwood-associated fungi', differentiating them from endophytic fungi in healthy tissues. This distinction is vital as it helps to clarify the ecological roles and origins of the fungi involved in agarwood formation. This study also underscores the need for more targeted research on their potential functions in agarwood resin production.

Keywords: agarwood-associated fungi, Ascomycota, Banksiophoma, Deniquelata, Fomitiporia, Montagnula, morphology, phylogeny

 

19. Huge genetic diversity of Schizothecium tetrasporum (Wint.). N. Lundq.: delimitation of 18 species distributed into three complexes through genome sequencing

Authors: De Filippo E, Gautier V, Lalanne C, Levert E, Chahine E, Hartmann FE, Giraud T and Silar P

Recieved: 05 February 2025, Accepted: 04 August 2025, Published: 27 October 2025

Analyses of the genetic diversity of well-studied fungi of the Sordariales, such as Neurospora spp. and Podospora anserina (syn. Triangularia anserina), have shown that the species classically defined by morphology are often complexes of cryptic species. Here, we report on the species delimitation among 76 strains producing mycelium and sexual reproductive structures identical to those of the pseudo-homothallic Sordariales species Schizothecium tetrasporum (syn. Neoschizothecium tetrasporum). Their whole genomes were sequenced as well as those of six strains closely related to Schizothecium tetrasporum but producing eight-spored asci instead of four-spored ones. The clustering based on the Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) between the genomes identified eighteen species grouped into three clades, which were further supported by a phylogenetic tree constructed with whole genome Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Based on their contrasting breeding systems and their large evolutionary distances, we considered the three clades as distinct species complexes. Indeed, two of them, the Schizothecium tetrasporum and Schizothecium pseudotetrasporum complexes, contain pseudo-homothallic species producing four-spored asci, whereas the third one, which we named Schizothecium octosporum, contains heterothallic species producing eight-spored asci. Surprisingly it was nestled between the two complexes of pseudo-homothallic species. Our data thus reveals a huge genetic diversity of the Schizothecium tetrasporum morpho-species and a convergent evolution of pseudo-homothallism or reversion to heterothallism within the complexes. An epitype for Schizothecium tetrasporum sensus stricto is defined and the seventeen new Schizothecium species are formally described.

 

Keywords: ANI, cryptic species, species complex, Sordariales

 

20. Shedding light on the darkness: cryptic diversity of cordyceps-like fungi in karst regions of Guizhou Province, China

Authors: Chen WH, Shu HL, Li D, Liang JD, Sun CL, Zhao JH, Wijayawardene NN, Han YF, and Tian WY

Recieved: 27 March 2025, Accepted: 28 September 2025, Published: 30 October 2025

Cordyceps-like fungi are abundant in karst regions in Guizhou Province, China, but systematic investigations are still lacking. In this study, species diversity of cordyceps-like fungi in karst habitats, forests, Tiankeng regions and valleys in Guizhou Province, was conducted from 2021 to 2024. Over 700 specimens were collected. Six new genera (Dimorphspora, Neolecanicillium, Nuciformispora, Paracorniculantispora, Rubrumomyces, Zongqiomyces), 51 new species (Arachnidicola sinensis, A. zunyiensis, Beauveria tiankengensis, B. valliensis, Cordyceps miaolingensis, C. pupicola, C. suiyangensis, C. vallis, Dimorphspora sinensis, Gamszarella araneicola, G. formicae, G. pupicola, Lecanicillium araneae, L. pantatomidae, L. sinense, Metarhizium formicae, M. pupicola, M. sinense, Neolecanicillium sinensis, Nuciformispora araneicola, N. sinense, N. vallise, N. zunyiense, Papiliomyces sinensis, Paracorniculantispora sinensis, Rubrumomyces guizhouensis, R. sinensis, Samsoniella araneicola, S. fanjingensis, S. guiyangensis, S. houerensis, S. jiangkouensis, S. kaiyangensis, S. miaolingensis, S. simplicola, S. suiyangensis, S. tongrenensis, S. wudangensis, S. zongqii, Simplicillium araneicola, S. bursae, S. cantharise, S. neoaraneae, S. wudangense, S. zunyiense, Zarea sinensis, Zongqiomyces araneicola, Z. sinensis) and 4 new combinations (Chlorocillium neolepidopterorum, C. rongjiangense, Nuciformispora aranearum, Paracorniculantispora psalliotae) were introduced. Our findings demonstrated significant cryptic diversity of cordyceps-like fungi across sampled karst ecosystems (forests, Tiankeng and valleys) in Guizhou Province, suggesting similar unexplored diversity may exist in other karst formations. Notably, all newly described genera in this study show evolutionary affinities with Lecanicillium species, underscoring the need for comprehensive molecular phylogenies to clarify taxonomic relationships within this group.

Keywords: Clavicipitaceae – Cordycipitaceae – Cryptic species – Ophiocordycipitaceae – Phylogeny

 

21. Mycosphere Notes 572-624: Exploring the hidden diversity of fungi and fungi-like taxa in different terrestrial microhabitats

Authors: Wijesinghe SN, Deng YL, Yuan Q, Zhou HM, Wang L, Dai YF, Xu Y, Jiang N, Al-Otibi F, Al-Sadi AM, Cao B, Chen Q, de Silva NI, Dong JH, Dong W, Du TY, Gu ZR, He SY, Jiang QQ, Li F, Li Q, Li W, Liu P, Liu WX, Liu XY, Liu ZB, Lu WH, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Su JQ, Tang SM, Tennakoon DS, Wang XC, Xiao WY, Xie ML, Yang X, Yang Y, Yang Yu, Yang YH, Yang YT, Zhang JL, Zhang SC, Zhang XC, Zhang XJ, Zhou Q, Al-Kharousi M, Al-Maqbali D, Al-Owaisi A, Al-Yahya'ei MN, Han XX, Hongsanan S, Hussain S, Jin JL, Karunarathna SC, Li CT, Li SL, Li Y, Luo ZL, Manawasinghe IS, Peng LY, Thongklang N, Tian WH, Tibpromma S, Velazhahan R, Xiao YP, Zhang ZJ, Zhao HJ, Zhao RL, Rathnayaka AR, Wanasinghe DN, Hyde KD and Zhao CL

Recieved: 30 June 2025, Accepted: 23 October 2025, Published: 07 November 2025

This is the 14th in a series of Mycosphere notes where we provide entries on new species and higher taxa, including new host records, and geographical (country) records of fungi and fungi-like species. In this study, we introduce 51 new taxa including one new genus, viz. Roseosporodochia and eight new species in Ascomycota, viz. Occultibambusa guizhouensis, Periconia baotouensis, Teichospora pini (Dothideomycetes), Basingstokeomyces cryptomeriae (Leotiomycetes), Apiospora dongruensis, Pseudolachnella chinensis, Roseosporodochia magnoliae, Trichoderma zhuangii (Sordariomycetes); two new genera, viz. Grandicium, Membranohymenium, and 39 new species in Basidiomycota, viz. Agaricus wadidarbaticus, Amyloxenasma cremeum, Am. tenuissimum, Athelopsis albofarinaceus, Burgella yunnanensis, Byssocorticium yunnanense, Cerioporus nigromarginatus, Crepidotus pusillus, Cylindrobasidium subbifidum, Grammothele albobadia, Grandicium tenuissimum, Gymnopus linzhiensis, Hymenochaete malaysiana, Hyphoderma fragilissimum, Hyp. punctatum, Hyp. yingjiangense, Inocybe griseum, Lopharia fissurata, Mariorajchenbergia yunnanensis, Membranohymenium grandinioides, Microporellus oblongosporus, Phanerochaete yingjiangensis, Phlegmacium sinovariecolor, Physisporinus pingbianensis, Punctularia fragilis, Scleroderma roseobrunneum, Sebacina yunnanensis, Sistotrema albofarinaceum, Si. fissuratum, Skeletocutis fissurata, Sk. wumenshanensis, Thelephora tropica, Trechispora alborhizomorpha, Tre. mangensis, Tubulicium yunnanense, Vuilleminia bambusicola, V. punctata (Agaricomycetes), Solicoccozyma humicola (Tremellomycetes); one new species in Mucoromycota, Cunninghamella variabilis (Mucoromycetes); and one new species of fungi-like organisms in Amoebozoa, Dictyostelium gracilidiscobasis (Dictyosteliomycetes). We further discussed two new records of Solicoccozyma aeria (Agaricomycetes) and Ophiocordyceps vespulae (Sordariomycetes) by expanding their ecology and geographic relationships. The taxonomic boundaries of these 53 taxa of fungi and fungi-like organisms, which belong to 42 genera, were confirmed using detailed morphology combined with molecular genetics. They were associated with plants, insects, and soil microhabitats with high substrate diversity, e.g., on plants (dead or decaying wood, roots, living infected leaves, leaf litter-associated insects), even in desert habitats, on basidiomata, on soil (in, on), even in frozen soil from Chinese, Omani, and Malaysian collecting sites. This study encourages mycologists, especially taxonomists to explore the undocumented fungal diversity across under-surveyed geographical sites, habitats, hosts, and substrates worldwide.

 

Keywords: 2 new records – 3 new genera – 48 new species – Amoebozoa – Ascomycota – Basidiomycota – Mucoromycota – Phylogeny – Taxonomy

 

22. Fungal threats to global mushroom cultivation: diseases, competitor molds, and management strategies – a review

Authors: Gajanayake AJ, Jayawardena RS, Hyde KD, Luangharn T, Liyanage WKK, Caige L, Zhao Q

Recieved: 03 April 2025, Accepted: 02 October 2025, Published: 10 November 2025

Mushroom cultivation, with its significant potential, not only enhances food and nutritional security but also contributes to environmental sustainability by recycling agricultural waste materials. However, this promising industry is under threat from fungal contaminations, which can manifest as destructive diseases or rapidly spreading competitor molds. These contaminants, which emerge at various stages of the cultivation process, can cause growth retardation, deformation, or decomposition of mushrooms, leading to substantial losses in both the quality and quantity of mushroom production. The economic impact of these losses underscores the importance of a comprehensive understanding of fungal diseases and competitor molds, which is crucial for developing effective management strategies to mitigate these challenges. Herein, four prevalent fungal diseases (dry bubble, wet bubble, cobweb, and green mold), along with slippery scar and yellow rot, are reviewed. The taxonomic classification of the major fungal pathogens on mushrooms is summarized at the family/genus levels, using phylogenetic trees reconstructed from previously published DNA sequences available in GenBank to illustrate their current phylogenetic placement. The morphological features of the pathogens are also illustrated. Additionally, nine competitor molds associated with mushroom cultivation are reviewed. Furthermore, for each disease and competitor mold, details on their causative agents, signs and symptoms, disease cycles, epidemiology, and management strategies are provided based on the available literature.

Keywords: Fungal pathogens – morphology – mushroom disease management – mycoparasites – phylogeny – signs and symptoms

 

23. Integrative taxonomy and cryptic diversity in dictyostelids: a 42% expansion of taxa known from China with conservation implications

Authors: Zou Y, Guo SN, Zhu ZM, Zhang ZJ, Li Z, Li JX, Ge JH, Stephenson SL, Liu P, Li Y

Recieved: 28 March 2025, Accepted: 03 November 2025, Published: 13 November 2025

An inadequate understanding of microbial eukaryotes, especially dictyostelids, threatens accurate biodiversity assessments and conservation efforts. Integrative taxonomy combining ISCC-NBS color quantification, spore morphometrics, and multi-locus phylogenetics (SSU rDNA, atp1) was applied to 68 dictyostelid isolates from 200 soil samples collected across China’s biodiversity hotspots (Changbai Mountain, Shennongjia, and Jianfengling National Nature Reserves). We identified 28 taxa, including 17 new species, nine new varieties, and two already known species—collectively increasing global dictyostelid diversity by 15% (from 178 to 204 taxa) and expanding records from China by 42% (from 61 to 87 taxa). Crucially, five novel taxa were segregated by systematically revising the D. purpureum complex, with the reclassification of D. pseudosessile as an independent species, thus resolving both cryptic speciation and historical taxonomic ambiguities. Phylogenetic analyses validated these taxonomic revisions through distinct morphological-molecular signatures. Combined with prior findings, 18 endemic taxa are now documented from Changbai Mountain, establishing this region as a microbial diversification hotspot and advocating urgent inclusion of protists in biodiversity conservation efforts. This work provides a replicable protocol for microbial taxonomy by standardizing phenotypic descriptors and reconciling molecular-phylogenetic conflicts.

Keywords: Cryptic speciation – Dictyostelium purpureum complex – integrative taxonomy – microbial conservation – multi-locus phylogenetics

 

24. Global fungal diversity and distribution patterns within the order Hymenochaetales (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota)

Authors: Zhao H, Cui YJ, Guan QX, Wang K, Zhuang L, Zeng GY, Wei YL, Wu F, Yuan HS

Recieved: 15 September 2025, Accepted: 19 November 2025, Published: 29 November 2025

The taxonomy and phylogeny within the order Hymenochaetales have advanced considerably worldwide, however, knowledge of their global fungal diversity and distribution patterns remains limited. In this study, we compiled a checklist of Hymenochaetales using the Fungal Names Database, and validated the records with MycoBank, Index Fungorum, and authoritative literatures. The result revealed that Hymenochaetales comprises 1,651 species belonging to 101 genera across 18 families, with 25 genera classified as incertae sedis. Among these taxa, the family Hymenochaetaceae has the greatest species richness, encompassing 44 genera and 973 species, which account for 59.12% of all species in the order. The most species-rich genera were Hymenochaete, Xylodon, Fuscoporia, Inonotus, Phylloporia, Fulvifomes, Fomitiporia, Coltricia, LyomycesTropicoporus. At the continental scale, Asia exhibited the highest species richness, while Africa had the lowest. The number of families, genera, and species shared across the six continents showed a decreasing trend, with Europe and North America displaying the highest similarity, whereas Asia and South America exhibited the lowest. Across climate zones, species richness was highest in temperate zones, followed by tropical, subtropical, and boreal zones. Distribution patterns of Hymenochaetales species across four climatic zones on the six continents demonstrated three main trends: 1) dominance of temperate species, 2) dominance of tropical species, and 3) continuous distributed from temperate to tropical regions. Morphologically, the species were primarily poroid, followed by corticioid, hydnoid, and others. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the global diversity and distribution patterns of the order Hymenochaetales, offering a valuable foundation for resource utilization and ecological conservation.

Keywords: Corticioid and hydnoid fungi – Hymenochaetaceae – Macrofungi – Polypores – White-rot – Wood-inhabiting fungi

 

25. Microfungi associated with grassland ecosystems in Yunnan, Southwest China

Authors: Gao Y, Wanasinghe DN, Liu LL, Tibpromma S, Karunarathna SC, Dissanayake LS, Eungwanichayapant PD, Sun ZY, Cai LL, Xu JC, Faraj T, Jayawardena RS, Hyde KD, Gui H

Recieved: 27 June 2025, Accepted: 29 September 2025, Published: 18 December 2025

During a survey of microfungi associated with grassland vegetation in Yunnan Province, China, various fungal taxa belonging to Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes were isolated. This study presents detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations, and multigene phylogenetic analyses of those fungal species to understand their taxonomic placements. Based on 138 fungal collections, the present work introduces a new genus (Keisslerielloides), 31 new species, four new combinations, the first sexual morph record for two species, the first asexual morph record for four species, both morphs for three species, and new host or geographic records for 47 species. Among them, Apiospora poacearum, Camarosporioides kunmingensis, Dinemasporium poacearum, Epicoccum kunmingense, Heterosporicola qujingensis, Keissleriella graminicola, K. lolii, K. zhaotongensis, Leptosphaeria chinensis, Massarina yunnanensis, Neoascochyta zhaotongensis, Ne. dactylidis, Nigrospora dactylidis, Occultitheca yunnanensis, Ophiobolopsis dipsaci, O. poacearum, Paraophiobolus bidentis, Periconia poacearum, P. todei, Phaeosphaeria kunmingensis, Ph. lolii, Pseudocyclothyriella lolii, Ps. yunnanensis, Pseudolophiostoma kunmingense, Schizothecium dactylidis, Septoriella graminearum, S. longispora, S. yunnanensis, S. zhaotongensis, Setophoma dactylidis, and Stagonospora dactylidis are introduced as new Ascomycota species. The new combinations are Keisslerielloides bambusicola (= Keissleriella bambusicola), K. caraganae (= Keissleriella caraganae), K. yonaguniensis (= Keissleriella yonaguniensis), K. yunnanensis (= Keissleriella yunnanensis). We also introduce new host or geographical records for Apiospora arundinis, A. locuta-pollinis, A. rasikravindrae, Aplosporella javeedii, Astrocystis sublimbata, Catenuliconidia uniseptata, Comoclathris sedi, Cucurbitaria lijiangensis, Dinemasporium americanum, Discosia macrozamiae, Epicoccum dendrobii, E. mackenziei, E. viciae-villosae, Floricola sulcata, Keissleriella gloeospora, K. poagena, Keisslerielloides yunnanensis, Letendraea helminthicola, Lophiopoacea paramacrostoma, Montagnula shangrilana, Neoascochyta humicola, Neoleptosporella camporesiana, N. fusiformispora, Occultibambusa jonesii, Ophiosphaerella aquatica, Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, Periconia cortaderiae, P. wurfbainiae, Phaeosphaeria septata, Ph. tabebuiae, Phaeosphaeriopsis aloes, Pha. grevilleae, Plenodomus artemisiae, Pl. sinensis, Praeclarispora herbicola, Pseudopithomyces chartarum, Ps. rosae, Sclerostagonospora rosae, Septoriella paradactylidis, S. tridentina, S. vagans, Stagonospora poaceicola, Torula chromolaenae, T. fici, Tremateia arundicola, Truncatella angustata, and Xylaria xylarioides. The new sexual/asexual links are reported in Keissleriella gloeospora, Neoascochyta humicola, Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, Phaeosphaeriopsis grevilleae, Praeclarispora herbicola, Pseudocyclothyriella lolii, and Stagonospora poaceicola. This study enhances the understanding of microfungal diversity in grassland ecosystems and highlights the rich, yet understudied, fungal biodiversity of Yunnan Province.

Keywords: 4 new combinations – 32 new taxa – 47 new records – Dothideomycetes – Sordariomycetes – Taxonomy

 

26. Unexpected diversity of family Boletaceae (Boletales) from subtropical and tropical China with three new genera and eighteen new species

Authors: Qin HZ, Jiang T, Zhao RX, Hu LG, Chen YL, Wang J, Lan RG, Chen XR, Mu XD, Cheng HT, Liang ZQ, Lin WF, Zeng NK

Recieved: 24 October 2025, Accepted: 12 December 2025, Published: 22 December 2025

The family Boletaceae (Boletales) comprises ecologically and economically vital macrofungi with a global distribution in forest ecosystems. Although China is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot for Boletaceae due to its floristic and topographic complexity, its taxonomy remains incompletely understood with numerous new taxa awaiting discovery. Morphological examinations and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis (28S, TEF1, RPB1, and RPB2) were integrated using specimens collected from subtropical and tropical China. Studies have demonstrated that three novel genera (Boletellopsis, Chenrenyua, Sudongpoa) were established to accommodate four newly identified species (C. longispora, C. verrucosa, S. rubicarpos, S. rubripes) and one previously described taxon (B. elata). Twenty-two additional taxa were described, comprising fourteen new species in the genera Aureoboletus and Hemileccinum, viz. A. applanatus, A. atrotomentosus, A. canceriformis, A. exiguisquamatus, A. hainanensis, A. macrocarpus, A. magniporus, A. pallidorubellus, A. phaeosquamus, A. urceopileus, H. brunneoalbum, H. dilutibrunneum, H. lutosum, and H. verrucatum. Taxonomic clarifications resolved the A. solus complex into five species; confirmed the phylogenetic distinctness of A. pallidorubellus from A. rubellus; and synonymized A. pseudorussellii with A. wusangongii and H. squamipes with H. parvum. These findings significantly advance Boletaceae systematics, revealing substantial undocumented diversity in China and providing critical data for fungal conservation and sustainable resource utilization. Keys to accepted species of Aureoboletus and Hemileccinum in China were also provided.

Keywords: bolete – molecular phylogeny – morphology – new taxa – taxonomy

 

27. The hidden taxonomic novelty of anamorphic basidiomycetous yeasts in the phyllosphere and tidal flats in China

Authors: Sun JQ, Du ZN, Zhu HY, Luo JZ, Zheng AK, Boekhout T, Groenewald M, Hui FL, Li AH, Stajich JE, Zang W, Bai FY, Liu XZ

Recieved: 09 March 2025, Accepted: 16 December 2025, Published: 22 December 2025

   Basidiomycetous yeasts are taxonomically and ecologically diverse. While the phyllosphere of plants in China has been the subject of extensive research on yeast biodiversity, many unique and remote habitats remain significantly underexplored for their yeast species. The objective of this study was to investigate the hidden taxonomic novelty of basidiomycetous yeasts in these distinctive niches to comprehensively refine the current phylogenetic understanding. During intensive investigations, 164 yeast strains were identified from various samples collected from the phyllosphere and tidal flats in China. These isolates underwent detailed multi-gene phylogenetic analyses combined with phenotypic characterization for taxonomic placement. The analyses revealed a remarkable level of hidden diversity. These 164 isolates represent one new order (Sterigmoblongales), two new families (Sterigmoblongaceae and Turchettiaceae), five new genera (Nakasea, Sterigmoblongus, Buzzinia, Gracilitas, Turchettia), and 37 novel basidiomycetous species. Phylogenetically, these new taxa are broadly distributed across the three major subphyla viz Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina, and Ustilaginomycotina, including Ballistosporomyces berchemiae, Bannoa hyperici, Bannoa lonicerae, Bannoa pseudoscolopiae, Bannoa quercus, Bannoa scolopiae, Bulleribasidium pseudosiamense, Bulleribasidium rhois, Bulleribasidium veronicastri, Buzzinia foliicola, Chrysozyma lonicerae, Chrysozyma rubi, Chrysozyma viburni, Chrysozyma yandangensis, Colacogloea woodwardiae, Derxomyces anmaltophilus, Derxomyces rhamni, Derxomyces spathulatus, Derxomyces turchettianus, Dioszegia maricola, Exobasidium cylindricum, Gracilitas littoralis, Kockovaella camelliae, Kockovaella malloti, Kockovaella rosae, Kondoa zhenganensis, Nakasea foliicola, Cystastrum sedimentus, Papiliotrema chongmingensis, Phyllozyma foliicola, Phyllozyma lyoniae, Rosettozyma turpiniae, Ruinenia pseudopyrrosiae, Sterigmoblongus ilicis, Teunia littoralis, Turchettia toddalia, and Yunzhangomyces nandinae. Of particular note, the newly proposed order Sterigmoblongales ord. nov. shows unstable phylogenetic placement within Microbotryomycetes based on multi-gene analyses, suggesting a deep and previously undiscovered evolutionary lineage. By uncovering cryptic diversity in overlooked habitats, this study greatly expands the phylogenetic breadth of basidiomycetous yeasts. These findings emphasize the need to continue exploring undersampled environments and highlight the value of integrating taxogenomics into future studies to resolve deep and basal evolutionary divergences. 

Keywords: Exobasidiomycetes, novel taxa, phylogeny, Pucciniomycotina, Tremellomycetes, yeast taxonomy

 

28. Evolution and horizontal transfer of the psilocybin biosynthetic gene cluster drive the diversification of magic mushrooms

Authors: Fei Liu, Jia-Xin Li, Wen-Qiang Yang, Mao-Qiang He, Bin Cao, Qi Wu, Cheewangkoon R, Zhao RL

Recieved: 20 June 2025, Accepted: 18 December 2025, Published: 22 December 2025

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound responsible for the hallucinogenic effects of “magic mushrooms,” is synthesized by a biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) traditionally associated with Psilocybe species. However, psilocybin production has also been identified in multiple genera across the Strophariaceae, Hymenogastraceae, and Galeropsidaceae families. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 30 putative psilocybin-producing mushroom species from ten genera using PacBio long-read technology. Comparative analysis across 20,608 bacterial, plant, and fungal genomes indicates that the psilocybin BGC most likely originated from endogenous fungal homologs through gene duplication and rearrangement, rather than horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from non-fungal sources. We identified four independent HGT events and three distinct BGC configurations, and propose an evolutionary framework integrating vertical inheritance, HGT, and strong purifying selection. Transcriptomic profiling revealed high expression of PsiK during the mycelial stage, while PsiH and PsiM remained inactive—correlating with the absence of psilocybin in mycelial tissue confirmed by UHPLC-MS/MS, and suggesting stage-specific regulation. Divergence time estimation, coupled with the coprophilous habit of most psilocybin-producing species, supports a post-Cretaceous-Tertiary radiation coinciding with the rise of mammals and novel ecological niches such as grasslands and dung substrates. Pangenomic analysis further reveals that horizontal BGC transfer contributes substantially to genetic innovation, facilitating species diversification and ecological adaptation. These findings highlight the pivotal role of secondary metabolites in fungal evolution and provide a genomic foundation for future research on psilocybin biosynthesis and its therapeutic potential.

Keywords: biosynthetic gene cluster – fungal diversity – horizontal gene transfer – magic mushrooms – psilocybin

 

29. Biodiversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi from the Nanpan River Basin in Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, China, with descriptions of fifteen species

Authors: Bao DF, Tian XG, Samarakoon MC, Karunarathna SC, Luo ZL, Han JJ, Wen TC, He ZJ, Liu ZH, Lu YZ, Kang JC

Recieved: 25 September 2025, Accepted: 12 December 2025, Published: 26 December 2025

The karst-dominated Nanpan River Basin (flowing through Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, China) harbors unique aquatic ecosystems, however, the freshwater fungal diversity remains poorly studied. This study aims to investigate the taxonomic composition, diversity, and distribution patterns of lignicolous freshwater fungi using an integrative approach combining morphological observation and molecular phylogenetics. A total of 352 strains of lignicolous freshwater fungi were isolated from submerged decaying wood from the Nanpan River Basin in Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, during 21–25 Nov 2024. Molecular identification via BLASTn analysis of ITS or LSU sequences revealed 189 species across 104 genera, 70 families, 27 orders, and six classes. Guizhou Province exhibited higher species richness, with 136 species identified from 213 strains, compared to 79 species from 139 strains in Guangxi Province. Community composition analysis revealed that only a few genera (32) and species (26) overlapped between the two provinces. Dictyocheirospora and Periconia were the dominant genera common to both provinces; Pseudohalonectria (6.1%), and Myrmecridium (5.2%) dominated in Guizhou, whereas Neokalmusia (7.9%) and Pseudoastrosphaeriella (5%) were the dominant genera in Guangxi. In addition, ten new species are introduced, namely: Apiospora submersa, Lolia guangxiensis, Neomyrmecridium submersum, Ophioceras lignicola, Pseudoteichospora aquatica, Tetraploa guizhouensis, T. nanpanjiangensis, T. verrucispora, Veronaea submersa, and Wongia guizhouensis based on characteristics and phylogenetic evidence. Wongia bandungensis is synonymized under W. suae based on phylogenetic analysis and morphological characteristics. In addition, five known species were collected and are described. These findings significantly expand the known diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in Southwest China, highlighting the basin as a hotspot for understudied freshwater fungal taxa and providing critical baseline data for the conservation and ecological study of these ecologically important organisms.

Keywords: 10 new species–Fungal diversity–Karst landscapes–Nanpan River–Phylogeny–Taxonomy

 

30. Species diversity, taxonomy, distribution and multi-gene phylogeny of chanterelles in China

Authors: Zhang M, Huang YX, Xia WX, Zhou P, Li TH, Wang CQ, Deng WQ

Recieved: 23 September 2025, Accepted: 12 December 2025, Published: 26 December 2025

The Chinese Chanterelles, or the members of Cantharellus and Craterellus are studied in the paper. They are widely distributed and have significant ecological and economic values. Although there have been several studies especially in recent years focusing on the chanterelle mushrooms in China, the research on their species diversity and phylogenetic relationships is still far from sufficient. In this study, taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses on the species diversity, distribution patterns, and interspecific relationships of Cantharellus and Craterellus in China were conducted through morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analyses of multiple loci, including the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nrLSU), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), the translation elongation factor 1 gene (tef1), and the small subunit of mitochondrial ribosomal RNA gene (mtSSU). The results demonstrated that the species of Cantharellus formed seven subgenera level clades, and species of Craterellus formed six main clades. In total, 68 chanterelle species are recognized in China, including 42 species of Cantharellus and 26 species of Craterellus. Among them, there are 8 new species of Cantharellus: namely C. albidohymenius sp. nov., C. chrysantyemoides sp. nov., C. danxiashanensis sp. nov., C. pseudoaustrosinensis sp. nov., C. pseudohainanensis sp. nov., C. roseocastaneus sp. nov., C. sinolateritius sp. nov., and C. subtilis sp. nov.; and C. subvaginatus is a new recorded species for China. There are also 12 new species of Craterellus: namely Cr. aprilis sp. nov., Cr. brunneus sp. nov., Cr. guizhouensis sp. nov., Cr. gypseus sp. nov., Cr. parvofuscus sp. nov., Cr. sinensis sp. nov., Cr. Sinocornucopioides sp. nov., Cr. subalpinus sp. nov., Cr. sublutescens sp. nov., Cr. tengii sp. nov., Cr. tropicus sp. nov. and Cr. viridifuscus sp. nov.; and Cr. parvogriseus and Cr. sordidus are two newly recorded species for China. Besides, 5 new combination names are proposed. In addition, one ambiguous taxon was tentatively named as Craterellus sp., and five synonyms, Cr. connatus, Cr. fulviceps, C. laevigatus, Cr. longitipes and Cr. striatus were redefined. Among the accepted species, 36 known species were described in detail based on observations, and the other 9 species were reviewed. Furthermore, two new species, Cr. grisellonigricans sp. nov. and Cr. murinus sp. nov., from Vietnam were also described and introduced in the present study. Keys to the accepted species of Cantharellus and Craterellus in China were provided.

Keywords: Cantharellales – edible fungi – Hydnaceae – novel taxa – phylogenetics

 

31. Diversity and taxonomy of hyphomycetous Fungi in Southwestern China

Authors: Liu LL, Zhang QF, Li WM, Habib K, Ren YL, Luo XY, Lu CT, Wijayawardene NN, Elgorban AM, Kyaw HWW, Bashir H, Al-Shwaiman HA, Samarakoon MC, Li QR, Liu HM

Recieved: 10 August 2025, Accepted: 15 December 2025, Published: 26 December 2025

This study explores the diversity of hyphomycetous fungi associated with decaying plant material in freshwater habitats of Southwestern China. Approximately 100 specimens were analyzed using combined morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic approaches. The ITS, SSU, LSU, rpb2, tub2, and tef1-α loci were employed for phylogenetic analyses of the treated taxa. This study has identified 36 taxa, including a new genus, Bulbocatenulomyces, 28 new species, and 8 new geographical records. Most of these, 24 species belong to Sordariomycetes, followed by Dothideomycetes (11 species) and Orbiliomycetes (1 species). The new species include Acremonium nigrobrunneum, Bactrodesmium wumengense, Bulbocatenulomyces nigricans, Chloridium tongrense, Conlarium phaeoconidium, Distoseptispora longissima, D. quinqueseptata, D. tongrensis, Helminthosporium dichoramosum, H. undecimseptatum, Hawksworthiomyces cylindroconidius, Mariannaea alba, Memnoniella anliuensis, Xenopleopunctum muriformis, Phragmocephala wuliangshanensis, Polyplosphaeria chinensis, Protocreopsis alba, Pyricularia puerensis, Rhamphoriopsis globularis, R. yunnanensis, R. zhaotongensis, Rostriconidium fuscum, R. yunnanense, Sarocladium bambusicola, Torula puerensis, Triplosphaeria irregularis, Tubeufia chinensis, and Xylolentia yibinensis. The new geographical records are Chloridium chlamydosporum, C. fuscum, Dictyocheirospora chiangmaiensis, Nectriella rusci, Orbilia ellipsospora, Parasympodiella cryptomeriae, Pleurothecium lignicola, and Volutella minutissima. In addition, Pseudolophiotrema is synonymized under Clematidis, with its species recombined as C. elymicola comb. nov. These findings significantly enhance the understanding of hyphomycetous fungal diversity in Southwestern China. The discovery of numerous novel species highlights the presence of many undescribed taxa, especially in freshwater habitats, presenting compelling opportunities for further mycological research.

Keywords: anamorphic fungi – Ascomycota – biodiversity – karst ecosystem – new taxa

 

32. Families of non-Dikarya fungi

Authors: Wijayawardene NN, Hyde KD, Mikhailov KV, Goto BT, Santiago ALCMA, Tokarev YS, Elshahed MS, Madrid H, Pires-Zottarelli CLA, Pawłowska J, Rajeshkumar KC, Selbmann L, Wimalasena MK, Aleoshin VV, Avasthi S, Bamunuarachchige TC, Błaszkowski J, Boonyuen N, Borowiecka J, Coleine C, Dai DQ, Fernández-Valero AD, Frolova EV, Lima JLR, Oliveira NVL, Queiroz MB, da Silva KJG, de Souza FA, da Silva SBG, de Freitas LWS, Dolatabadi S, Dubey MK, Egidi E, Erdoğdu M, Felix JRB, Gautam AK, Han LS, Huang B, Hurdeal VG, Jerônimo GH, Jesus AL, Jiang Y, Kirk PM, Kumla J, Lateef AA, Li Q, Liu XY, Liu XZ, Magurno F, Nanayakkara CM, Nassonova ES, Malysh JM, Mathushika J, Nowak M, Nie Y, Pozdnyakov IR, Radek R, Reñé A, Saxena RK, Seliuk AO, Selçuk F, Seto K, Sánchez-Castro I, Simakova AV, Simmons DR, Sruthi OP, Strassert JFH, Suwannarach N, Tak PS, Thalagala KH, Verma RK, Vishnyakov AE, Viver T, Wang Y, Wen TC, Wickramanayake KD, Wiktorowicz D, Wilk M, Youssef NH, Zhang GQ, Zhang JY, Zhao H, Zhang X, Zhou QF, Kularathnage ND, Bhat DJ, McKenzie EHC, Al‑Hatmi AMS, Yu FQ, Watsuntorn W, Karpov SA

Recieved: 18 April 2025, Accepted: 04 November 2025, Published: 26 December 2025

The magnitude and understanding of the Kingdom Fungi are expanding with the application of DNA-based molecular approaches. Non-Dikarya fungi (sometimes referred to as ‘basal fungi’, ‘early divergent fungi’ or ‘lower fungi’), a large group of fungi that are included in 16 different phyla, comprise approximately 5000 species to date. This paper compiles all existing information on the families of the non-Dikarya fungal phyla. Two phylogenomic analyses are provided separately to show the relationships of the phyla of non-Dikarya and families of Mucoromycota, respectively. A phylogenetic tree based on partial 45S or partial 28S sequences is provided to show the placements of families in Glomeromycota. We provide the descriptions of each family and its type genus, including an illustration of the type species or a well-established other genus in the family. All the genera included in the family are listed with their type species. Bulbosporaceae fam. nov. is introduced to accommodate Bulbospora in Gigasporales (Glomeromycetes, Glomeromycota). Densosporales Tedersoo, Densosporaceae Desirò et al., and Jimgerdemanniaceae Tedersoo are validated. Taxa in Rozellomycota (including Microsporidia) and Aphelidiomycota are currently accepted as groups of fungi. Still, most species names require further revision following the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. Caudosporina Y.S. Tokarev & I.V. Issi nom. nov. and Mesnilivella Frolova & Nassonova nom. nov. are provided to accommodate Caudospora J. Weiser (nom. illegit.) and Mesnilia Frolova et al. 2023 (nom. illegit.), respectively. Taxa introduced based on eDNA (by Tedersoo et al. 2024) are listed separately, as currently these taxa are treated as invalid. Fossil non-Dikarya taxa are also provided separately.

 

Keywords: Aphelids – ‘basal fungi’ – Microsporidia – Rozellomycota – subkingdoms

 

33. Taxonomy and biological properties of Ascomycota on Bidens pilosa and Chromolaena odorata in Northern Thailand with a global checklist

Authors: Htet ZH, Chethana KWT, Manawasinghe IS, Rathnayaka AR, Wijesinghe SN, Win H, Hyde KD, Mapook A

Recieved: 11 July 2025, Accepted: 18 December 2025, Published: 27 December 2025

Bidens pilosa and Chromolaena odorata are widespread weeds in Asteraceae, recognized as invasive species in many regions worldwide. Comparative research on fungal diversity across Asteraceae weeds remain limited, with only a few studies conducted on the diversity of saprobic fungi on these weeds. Further research is necessary to discover the potential ecological or biotechnological benefits of these taxa. In this study, saprobic fungi collected from Bidens pilosa and Chromolaena odorata in northern Thailand comprises 44 species, distributed across 30 genera, 20 families, and six orders within Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes. Among them, 17 species are identified as novel (Albifimbria bidentis, Austropleospora chromolaenae, Bahusandhika bidentis, Dothiorella asteracearum, D. chromolaenae, Diaporthe asteracearum, D. chromolaenicola, Forliomyces bidentis, Fusarium bidentis, F. chromolaenae, Kalmusia thailandica, Pseudothyridariella asteracearum, Ps. thailandica, Pseudolophiostoma chromolaenae, Pseudoneoconiothyrium chromolaenae, Pseudo. thailandicum, Sarocladium bidentis). In addition, 20 new host records (Acrocalymma pterocarpi, Bahusandhika indica, Colletotrichum gigasporum, C. truncatum, Diaporthe biconispora, Dictyocheirospora nabanheensis, Dendryphion hydei, Fusarium hainanense, Lasiodiplodia henanica, L. theobromae, Leptospora thailandica, Montagnula chromolaenae, Neodendryphiella mali, Neoroussoella entadae, Periconia byssoides, Pseudopithomyces chartarum, Remotididymella anthropophila, R. fici-microcarpae, Torula canangae, and T. mackenziei) are documented. The species boundaries were delineated based on morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic approaches. Additionally, the preliminary assays revealed antibacterial activity in 36 species against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, highlighting their biotechnological potential. Furthermore, a global checklist documented 76 fungal taxa on Bidens pilosa and 161 fungal taxa on Chromolaena odorata, highlighting their roles as reservoirs of fungal diversity. This study expands the taxonomic and ecological understanding of microfungi associated with invasive Asteraceae weeds in Thailand and the host-fungal relationships in a global context by encouraging future mycological and ecological research efforts.

Keywords: 17 new taxa – antibacterial properties – fungal checklist – Dothideomycetes – multi-gene phylogeny – Sordariomycetes

 

34. Updating taxonomy of Conidiobolus sensu lato: Proposal of a new family, a new genus, 23 new species and two new combinations

Authors: Nie Y, Zhao H, Zhang MH, Lee HB, Chang Y, Liu XY, Huang B

Recieved: 12 September 2025, Accepted: 16 December 2025, Published: 30 December 2025

Conidiobolus sensu lato entomophthoroid fungi comprise one of the most species-rich, diverse, and ecologically significant lineages in entomophthoroid fungi. Primarily saprophytic on fallen leaves and other organic debris, these fungi are also pathogenic to insects and can occasionally infect mammals, including humans, causing conidiobolomycosis. The recent increase in human infections underscores the urgency of a comprehensive taxonomic reassessment to understand disease origins better, develop preventive measures, and harness biocontrol potential. Molecular analyses have revealed the polyphyletic nature of this group, prompting its reclassification into three families and five genera. Although this revision provides clarity, the precise phylogenetic placement of Microconidiobolus remains unresolved. We herein performed a comprehensive phylogenomic analysis of Conidiobolus s.l., incorporating 43 newly sequenced genomes and divergence-time estimates based on multiple loci (nucLSU, EFL, and mtSSU). The results indicate that family-level lineages diverged approximately 281 million years ago (Mya), highlighting the deep evolutionary history of these fungi. Microconidiobolus was robustly placed as a sister group to Conidiobolaceae, with an estimated divergence time around 279 Mya, and was consequently raised to family rank. Integrating these molecular findings with morphological data, we propose an updated classification of four families (Capillidiaceae, Conidiobolaceae, Microconidiobolaceae, and Neoconidiobolaceae) and six genera (Azygosporus, Callaghania, Capillidum, Conidiobolus sensu stricto, Microconidiobolus, and Neoconidiobolus). Twenty-three new species (two in Capillidium, 16 in Conidiobolus s.s., and five in Neoconidiobolus) were described from China, and two new combinations were put into Callaghania. Additionally, comprehensive morphological keys to facilitate species identification were provided. Overall, this study constitutes a monographic treatment of Conidiobolus s.l., offering crucial insights into their taxonomy and into the early diversification of terrestrial fungi.

Keywords: Classification – Early-diverging fungi – Entomophthoromycotina – New taxa – Phylogenomics

 

35. High yeast diversity in primeval forest of Shennongjia, including 21 new species characterized by morphological, phylogenetic, and genomic analyses

Authors: Qiu YJ, Zhu HY, Zhu QY, Yang LX, Mao YC, Wen Z, Chen SX, Qiu JZ, Bai FY, Han PJ

Recieved: 03 April 2025, Accepted: 16 December 2025, Published: 31 December 2025

Shennongjia, located in the northwestern of Hubei Province, China, has a northern subtropical monsoon climate, along with vast areas of primeval forest. Its unique geography and altitudinal variation have fostered a rich and rare array of natural resources, making it a biodiversity hotspot. While most biodiversity studies in Shennongjia focus on animals and plants, research on microorganisms, particularly yeasts, remains limited. To address this gap, we collected 624 samples from the region, applied enrichment cultures at different temperatures aimed at isolating primarily ascomycetous yeasts, and ultimately obtained 4,451 yeast isolates. Phylogenetic analysis identified these strains as 161 species, belonging to 69 genera, 28 families, 20 orders, and 9 classes within the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, including 6 species of Saccharomyces. Importantly, we formally describe 21 new species across 13 genera, namely Ambrosiozyma apicoglobosa sp. nov., Cyberlindnera hubeiensis sp. nov., Cyberlindnera juglandicorticola sp. nov., Cyberlindnera shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Hyphopichia shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Kluyveromyces shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Kregervanrija quercicorticola sp. nov., Kregervanrija shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Middelhovenomyces xyloputricola sp. nov., Nakazawaea arboricola sp. nov., Nakazawaea pterocaryicorticola sp. nov., Nakazawaea shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Pichia shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Pichia xylocola sp. nov., Saccharomycopsis shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Starmera prunicorticola sp. nov., Sugiyamaella irregularis sp. nov., Suhomyces quercicorticola sp. nov., Suhomyces shennongjiaensis sp. nov., Yamadazyma betulicola sp. nov., and Yamadazyma gelatinotortuosa sp. nov., with detailed morphological images. Furthermore, 43 new taxonomic combinations were proposed within these genera to accommodate closely related Candida species. Our study reveals that Shennongjia harbors a rich and diverse yeast community, including many previously unreported species. This research contributes to the global record of yeast diversity and distribution, which will inspire further investigation and conservation efforts in this valuable region.

Keywords: yeast diversity – novel ascomycetous yeast species – phylogeny – taxonomy

 

36. Taxonomy and diversity of woody litter microfungi associated with six phylogenetically related host species in Doi Tung national park, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Authors: Afshari N, Noorabadi MT, McKenzie EHC, Pumas C, Bhunjun CS, Jayawardena RS, Gomes de Farias AR, Phukhamsakda C, Jeewon R, Chaharmiri-Dokhaharani S, Suwannarach N, Kumla J, Al-Otibi F, Hyde KD, Lumyong S.

Recieved: 28 October 2025, Accepted: 21 December 2025, Published: 31 December 2025

Woody litter contributes to the high microbiological diversity of tropical forests, providing both habitat and nutrients. In forest environments, fungi are the most abundant microbial communities associated with woody litter, playing vital roles in the decomposition process. Diversity and abundance of fungal community are influenced by various factors, i.e., the decomposition stage, wood type, moisture content, and substrate size. This paper elaborates the study of morphology, phylogeny, host-recurrence, and diversity patterns across two seasons and three decomposition stages in saprobic microfungi associated with woody litter of Nayariophyton zizyphifolium, Microcos paniculata (Malvaceae), Dipterocarpus alatus (Dipterocarpaceae), Afzelia xylocarpa, Dalbergia cana, and D. cultrata (Fabaceae) at Doi Tung national park, Chiang Rai, Thailand. Fungal communities of woody litter from these host species have not been well-investigated. Furthermore, the relationship of host phylogeny to wood-dwelling microfungal communities has not been established. Fungal isolates were obtained through single spore isolation, and their morphologies were characterized. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI), based on different gene regions specific to each taxon, were conducted to confirm species identify and taxonomic classifications. Host-recurrence of the identified fungi based on morphological and molecular data, and fungal diversity across seasons and decomposition stages were analyzed to evaluate fungal community composition. A total of 125 fungal collections were identified, representing three classes, 24 orders, 45 families, 63 genera, and 91 species (Table S1). Among these taxa, this study provides detailed taxonomic information and phylogenetic analyses for one new family, two new genera, 11 new species, five first reports of sexual or asexual morph connections, and 20 new host fungal records, additional fungal collections, habitat, and new geographical records. The newly introduced taxa are: Chromolaenicola doitungensis, Colletotrichum nayariophyti, Corynespora chiangraiensis, Cylindroconidiis doitungensis, Dictyoarthrinium doitungensis, Nemania doitungensis, Oxydothis dalbergiae, Palmiascoma chiangraiense, Pisorisporium nayariophyti, Striaticonidium chiangraiense, and Xylochrysis chiangraiensis. of these, Novolignincolaceae (Novolignincola doitungensis) is introduced as a new family, and Doitungomyces (Doitungomyces dipterocarpi) and Sporicula (Sporicula chiangraiensis) as new genera. In addition, new sexual or asexual records for Colletotrichum gigasporum, Cytospora heveae, Misturatosphaeria viridibrunnea, Paraconiothyrium archidendri, and Pseudofusicoccum kimberleyense are described. In addition, fungal host-recurrence was also investigated. Hierarchical clustering revealed minor differences in fungal community composition across phylogenetically related hosts, with the highest specificity at the genus level. The early decomposition stage exhibited the highest diversity with distinct dominant genera. Additionally, fungal genus diversity showed distinct seasonal patterns, with more genera displaying high abundance during the dry season.

Keywords: 14 new taxa – fungal diversity – fungal community – host-recurrence – multilocus – taxonomy

 

37. The emerging role of Fungi in sustainable farming and global food security

Authors: Manawasinghe IS, Hyde KD, Balasuriya A, Suwannarach N, Boonyuen N, Harishchandra DL, Karunarathna SC, Khuna S, Kumla J, Priyashantha AKH, Samarakoon MC, Srinuanpan S, Thambugala KM, Ali S, Cheewangkoon R, Dong ZY, Htet ZH, Hu Y, Karunarathna A, Luo M Iamwan S, Madhushan A, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Mapook A, Premarathna M, Seneviratne G, Tao Q, Tibpromma S, Wen TC, Yang E Kularathnage ND, Rajwar S, Senanayake IC, Singh G, Singh R, Song J Galappaththi MCA, McComb, McHenry MP, Patabendige NM, Al-Otibi F, Xia G, Talagala TUS, Li Y, Wang C, Zhang W, Yan JY

Recieved: 02 September 2025, Accepted: 16 December 2025, Published: 31 December 2025

Fungi are essential components of ecosystems, serving not only as decomposers and pathogens but also as vital contributors to plant growth, soil health, and food security. With the growing global demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture, the role of fungi has become increasingly important. This review explores the diverse and expanding applications of fungi in modern green agriculture and assesses their ecological mechanisms, agronomic advantages, and potential implementation challenges. From ancient agriculture to the present, mycorrhizae play a central role in regenerative agriculture. These symbiotic relationships are essential for the survival of most plants, while in crops, they significantly improve productivity. This concept has been further expanded to utilise mycorrhizal symbiosis in soil rehabilitation. Recent advancements in fungi as plant growth promoters have shown significant effects in green agriculture. From simple volatile organic compounds to metabolites, fungi enhance and facilitate nutrient solubilization and availability. The application of fungi as biofertilizers, growth promoters, and biological control agents is not a single-directional process. Fungal antagonism involves not only pathogen suppression but also increased plant resistance coupled with growth promotion. For instance, application of Trichoderma species comes with a number of benefits. The use of entomopathogenic fungi has a long history and is now expanding towards the control of viruses and phytoplasma. Moving forward, the involvement of mushrooms in circular agriculture has been highly productive in many regions. In addition, fungi are gaining recognition in aquaculture and livestock production, waste recycling, fungal protein production, mycelium leather, and mulching. However, there are still many barriers to overcome, and the environmental adaptability and evolutionary dynamics of fungi pose ongoing challenges. Recent advancements in gene editing offer promising solutions, yet policy adoption and public acceptance remain hard barriers to overcome. In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), we believe that AI and machine learning will further enhance fungal applications, especially in disease epidemiology and crop management. Overall, this review serves as a comprehensive reference for researchers, farmers, and policymakers, providing insights and future directions while emphasising the urgent need for integrated, nature-based solutions. Fungi are poised to be key drivers in achieving regenerative, resilient, and decentralised food systems amid global climate and food security challenges.

Keywords: Bioremediation – Climate change –Entomopathogenic –Plant growth promotion – Soil degradation